Combined tamper and charger.



W. FROST.

COMBINED TAMPEB AND CHARGER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3 I915. Patented May16,1916.

Witmeooao UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FROST, or TALLULA', ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN c. 30mins, orTALLULA,

ILLINOIS.

COMBINED TAMPER AND CHARGER.

Application filed March 1, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FRos'r, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tallula, in the county of Menard and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Tampers andChargers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates particularly to im provements in blasting devices,and'specifically'to a tool which may not only be used in applying thecharge of blasting powder into a drill, but which may be employed fortamping or packing such powder after it is deposited in the drill.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich will be simple and inexpensive, yet which will be very eflicientin operation.

With this object in view, the invention resides in certain novelfeatures of construction and combination hereinafter described andclaimed and shown in the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the loaded charger showing the same inposition to be forced into a drill made for its reception. Fig. 2 is asimilar view with the tool inserted in the drill and the charge of theblasting powder discharged therefrom. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showingthe positions of parts when the charger is being loaded with a charge ofpowder. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section as seen along the planeindicated by the line l4 of Fig. 1.

In this drawing, constituting a part of the application, numeral 1designates a cylinder which is of the required proportions and which ispreferably constructed of copper, brass or other material which will notcause sparks to be generated if forced against rocks or the like. Thefront end of the cylinder 1 is left entirely open, while the rear endthereof is closed by a centrally perforated end wall 2.

Mounted slidably within the cylinder 1, is a conical tamper 3 whose apexis alined with and disposed toward the perforation in the wall 2, whileits base faces the open front end of said cylinder. In the present case,the tamper 3 is shown of approximately the length of the cylinder 1,which latter Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916. Serial No. 11,389

is preferably. about 18 inches in length. This allows 12 inches ofblasting powder to be packed in said cylinder, when the tamper 3 isretracted therein as shown in Fig. 1, this amount of powder beingsuiiicient for what is commonly known as one charge. Secured in anyappropriate manner to the rear end or apex of the tamper 3, is the frontsection 4 of an operating rod, said section being inserted through theperforation in the end wall 2 and having a forked hinge member 5 on itsouter end, which member is so disposed as to limit the inward movementof the rod section 4, this preventing the tamper 3 from being forcedforwardly entirely out of the cylinder 1, this being expedient forreasons to become clear.

Pivotally connected at its front end to the hinge member 5, is the rearsection 6 of the aforesaid operating rod, the rear end of said section 6being preferably equipped with a hand hold 7 to be grasped by theoperator of the tool, thus facilitating the insertion of the latter intothe drill or bore D which is formed in the bed B of rock or othermaterial to be blasted.

With the parts constructed as above described, the rear section 6 of theoperating rod is folded toward the cylinder 1, as shown in Fig.3,whereupon the open front end of the latter is disposed upwardly. Thetamper 3 is now retracted within the cylinder 1, and the latter filledwith a charge of blasting powder in advance of said tamper. The fuse F,one of whose ends has previously been inserted in the charge of powder,is extended into a notch 8 in the front end of the cylinder 1 and isthen continued rear wardly in contact with, or in parallel relation withsaid cylinder, this fuse being of a length equal to or greater than thelength of the drill D.

WVith the charger loaded in the manner just described, the operatorinserts the same into the drill D to approximately the position seen inFig. 2. Ihe operating rod is now rapidly reciprocated by the operator,thus causing the cylinder 1 to gradually work rearwardly upon the rodsection 4:, whereupon the powder is discharged into the rear end of thedrill. By proper manipulation of the tool, this powder may now beeffectively packed or tamped, it being understood that the tamper 3accomplishes this result. Needless to say, when the tool is 1 againremoved from the drill, the fuse F is properly posltloned for firing thecharge.

If more than one of such charges is necessary, it Will be understoodthat the operation above described is repeated a proper number of times.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, it will be evident that although a very simpleblasting device has been provided, the same will be very efficient inoperation and will possess a number of advantageous features. It isessential that the cylinder 1, and probably the plunger 3 be constructedof material Which will not cause the generation of sparks When forcedinto contact With rocks within the drill, since such sparks wouldundoubtedly explode the charge of powder prematurely, thereby causingserious results.

I claim:

A combined tamper and charger comprising a tube having one endclosed,'said end being of substantially the same thickness as the'tube,a plunger in said tube having a relatively short plunger rod secured tothe plunger and extending through an aperture in said closed end, saidplunger rod having a hinge member on its outer end disposed for contactWith the outer side of said closed end to prevent projection of theplunger beyond the tube, and a relatively long handle rod disconnectedwith the tube and having at one end a hinge member connected to thehinge member of the aforesaid plunger rod, the other end of said handlerod being disposed at a point remote from the tube.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntc set my hand in presence of tWosubscribing witnesses.

lVILLIAM FROST.

Witnesses JOHN FoL'roN, C. J. SAVAGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner or ratentn,

Washington, D. O.

